Murom, Vladimir region

An armoured train that left Murom in '42 and ended up in Frankfurt-on-Oder in '45.

From our in-house historian

Izvesten s X veka. Otsjuda v Kiev ko dvory knjazja Vladimira Krestitelja (v narode ego zvali Krasnoe Solnyshko) priehal bogatyr Ilia Muromets, geroj russkogo narodnogo eposa, proslavivshijsja v srazhenijah s kochevnikami, pod starost postrigshijsja v monahi i pohoronennyj v Kievo-Pecherskoj Lavre. V Murome stoit 20-metrovyj pamjatnik Ilie.

V XII-XIII vekah Murom byl stolitsej Muromskogo knjazhestva. Potom ono prisoedinilos k Moscve.

V XIV veke muromskij knjaz Petr zhenilsja na rjazanskoj krestjanke Fevronii, kotoraja vylechila ego ot bolezni. Bojare vozmutilis iz-za neravnogo braka, i togda Petr s Fevroniej zajavili, chto radi lubvi gotovy otkazatsja ot vlasti. Ih ostavili na prestole. Oni zhili dolgo, umerli v odin den i byli pohoroneny v odnom grobu v gorodskom monastyre. V XVI veke Petr i Fevronia byli priznany svjatymi. Sejchas den ih pamjati – 8 july – namecheno prazdnovat kak den vlublennyh vmesto St.Valentin’s Day.

V XVII veke v Murome zhila svjataja Uliana, zhena bogatogo pomeshika, razdavshaja vse imushestvo stradavshim ot goloda vo vremja otsutstvia svoego muzha. V 1918 godu Murom vosstal protiv vlasti Lenina, byl okruzhen Krasnoj guardiej i rasstreljan iz artillerijskih orudij.

Comment supplied by the famous Vovchik of Ryazan

Where is Murom? On the Oka river, about 200 miles east from Moscow. Turn left (south) just before Vladimir, and in a couple of hours of driving on a narrow winding road through mixed pine and birth forest, you'll be in Murom. Easy to visit on you way from Vladimir to Ryazan. About 300km (200 miles) east or south-east from Moscow. Trains from Moscow's Kazan train station, about 5 hours. A couple of years ago Murom was declared to be part of the Golden Ring. A couple of hours to Nizhny Novgorod...

What is Murom like? The first words in response to this question by the Russ hotel receptionist, Natalia: gentle, cozy, and our people are open and helpful.

The layout of Murom. Should you find yourself in Murom without a map, which I recommend anyway, think of Moskovskaya as the main street. There you will find both hotels and a few place to eat. The bus stationis also there.

Accommodation

Russ Hotel, Moskovskaya 87, (8-092234) 4-28-12. Can't miss it when entering the city from the Vladimir side. Stayed there outselves. Basic clean double: 1100R ($40). Single: 550$ ($20).

Lada, Ul. Moskovskaya 43, tel. 3-11-71. A few steps closer to the city center. Slightly more expensive than Russ, with rooms starting at 700R ($30).

Food

We ate at the Slavyanskoye Cafe, ul. Moskovskaya 3, local tel. 3-63-81, and were left very happy. No problem with my vegetarian habits. Food for three, including beers and a bottle of good Georgian was about $25 but even $5 would feed you if you can avoid excesses.